Dubai is building the world’s longest indoor ski slope – in the desert

In a bizarre yet not wholly unexpected move, Dubai announced plans to build a record-breaking 1.2-kilometer ski run, complete with artificial snow, in the middle of the scorching desert. The world’s longest indoor ski slope will be housed in Meydan One, a sprawling mixed-use development to include The Dubai One, the world’s tallest residential tower at 711 meters; a giant shopping center with over 300 restaurants and cafes; a 350-room hotel; 100-berth marina; a 300-meter-long beach; and the world’s largest dancing fountain with water jets that reach an incredible 420 meters in height. The project is estimated to cost $6.8 billion and will extend from the Meydan racecourse to the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

The 3.67-million-square-meter Meydan One won’t be home to Dubai’s first indoor ski resort, though it will beat the old record by three times. The extravagant desert city nabbed the Guinness World Record for the longest indoor ski slope in 2005 with a 400-meter slope built inside the Mall of the Emirates. Both the Mall of Emirates indoor ski resort and the Meydan One ski resort will be open year-round despite summer temperatures in Dubai that can reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once complete, the Meydan One will become home to nearly 80,000 residents. In addition to the record-breaking ski slope, the complex will include a Meydan sporting arena at the base of the ski slope and a 25,000-square-meter indoor multi-purpose sports facility that will accommodate nearly every sport imaginable, from tennis to mixed martial arts.

“In a city that never stops innovating, today’s announcement is significant for the future of Dubai and the UAE. We have committed to developing a multi-use destination, which goes beyond expectations and will cater to every kind of person living and working here, as well as those who travel from around the world to visit,” said Meydan Chairman Saeed Humaid Al Tayer. The first phase of the development is slated for completion before 2020 just as Dubai prepares to host the World Expo 2020.